Gerry Krochak | Calgary Sun

Jim Wells

These cats came back … and thanks for that!

After completing the Monster tour in Japan last week, logistically, reasonably, realistically and cost effectively, it made no sense to schedule a one-off show 8,007 kilometers away.

But, then again … this is no ordinary band.

For you Calgary, the masters of classic shock weren’t about to blow this one off. No damn way.

During the third rescheduled Calgary Stampede arena show in the past eight days, KISS proved once and for all that the best kind of fun is big, dumb fun.

And you can bet your Originals lunchbox on it.

The lights, the smoke, the bombs, the sparks, the blood, the fire, the fans, the spectacle and, uh, some tasty classic rock nuggets, which have stood the test of time rather well, makes the entire experience a memorable one ­— no matter how old or young you are.

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Krazy Knights

Laura Schreffler | Haute Living

Designer John Varvatos was joined by a slew of celebrity pals at Neiman Marcus this week to celebrate his new book: John Varvatos: Rock in Fashion. 

Pals such as rock photographer Mick Rock, Gene Simmons & Paul Stanley of KISS, Joe Manganiello, Dean McDermott, George Kotsiopoulos and Avan Jogia were on hand to celebrate Varvatos’ success at the invite-only event.

The coffee-table style book documents the elements of rock style that have embodied the music community for decades.

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Shayam Dodge | Mail Online

He may be a hardcore rocker but Gene Simmons has a heart made of solid gold.

The 64-year-old was honoured for his work with U.S. troops abroad and veterans at home in America during an event in Hollywood, on Thursday.

The KISS bassist is reported to have been brought to tears while giving an emotional speech as his wife Shannon Tweed and his daughter Sophie supported him from the audience.

Wearing his signature dark sunglasses, the dark haired entrepreneur donned a grey sports coat and blue jeans for his appearance at the Salute to Veterans event at Paramount Studios where he was presented with the Durning Patriotism Award.

Sporting steel toed cowboy boots the 6ft2 former reality star towered above his high heeled ladies.

Sophie, 21, wore a strapless red dress with matching strappy open toed stiletto pumps as she smiled throughout the evening, clearly proud of her famous father.

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Morgan Greenwald | Daily Trojan

On Thursday, USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative hosted Gene Simmons at the University Club as a guest speaker for 60 students currently in the program.

Path to success · Former KISS star Gene Simmons speaks to Neighborhood Academic Initiative participants at the University Club on Thursday evening about his own experiences facing adversity as an immigrant. – Austin Vogel | Daily Trojan

Others in attendance included Pavel Krapivin, vice president of Warner Bros. and former student of the USC Math, Science and Technology High School, and Kim Thomas-Barrio, executive director of NAI.

NAI is a college access and success program with neighborhood students in grades six through 12 in conjunction with the university.

“[This program] allows the academic rigor students need and the support families need for first generation college-goers from underrepresented minority groups,” Thomas-Barrios said.

Since its first graduating class in 1997, NAI has  graduated more than 700 students. Forty percent of those graduates attended USC with a full four-and-a-half year scholarship package, not including loans.

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Ethan Sacks | Daily News

Gene Simmons set tongues wagging Wednesday when he tweeted that he was offered the chance to make his Broadway debut as Spider-Man’s arch-nemesis.

“Thank you, Michael Cohl for offering me the role of the Green Goblin on the Broadway production of #spiderman,” the KISS bassist posted to his 573,719 followers. 

If the 64-year-old rock icon does indeed swap his white and black demon facepaint for the stage villain’s green body makeup, he’ll be replacing Broadway veteran Robert Cuccioli. A rep for the production could not be reached for comment.

Michael Wayland | M Live

DETROIT, MI- Ford Motor Co. unveiled a custom 1956 Ford F-100 Tuesday at the 2013 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show with help from KISS frontman Gene Simmons and his wife, actress Shannon Tweed.

The Shelby Mustang-inspired pickup truck — named “Snakebit” – features 20-inch rear wheels, a Ford Racing supercharged 5.4-liter V8 estimated at 550 horsepower and custom wheelbase, headlights and sequential taillights.

“That’s what I call hot,” Simmons said as the vehicle was unveiled to KISS’ “Rock And Roll All Nite.”

The interior of the metallic gray pickup features handmade panels and two-tone leather. The knobs on the leather-wrapped dash are custom, as are the armrests. The leather bench seat is contoured to match the look of a Shelby Mustang interior.

Snakebite will be auctioned next year by Barrett-Jackson, with proceeds going to help fund a children’s hospital in Tweed’s hometown in Canada.

Simmons said he wants the vehicle to auction for at least $1 million. The legendary bassist even joked that he’d do everything for the winning bidder –from cooking dinner to signing the vehicle and spitting blood in the backseat.

“I’ll do anything you want,” Simmons said. “I want a million bucks for that.”

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103.7 The Loon

Hulton Archive

Ace Frehley said he’s come to expect blindside insults from Gene Simmons. So he wasn’t totally surprised by the recent spate of comments made by his former Kiss bandmate, who Frehley said “has no friends — he’s not respected by his peers.”

Frehley, talking with Q104.3FM’s Eddie Trunk (via Blabbermouth), chalked up Simmons’ lonely existence to the Demon’s alleged focus on business to the exclusion of personal relationships. “I mean, from the very beginning, his only motivation was money,” Frehley told Trunk. “He’s pissed off thousands of fans.”

Simmons’ latest jab at his old guitarist came during a talk with Radio.com two weeks ago, when he compared working with Frehley and fellow co-founding ex-member Peter Criss to having a “cancer in your system” — something that had to be excised “as fast as you can.”

Simmons and Paul Stanley have continued on as Kiss after the early-’00s departures of Frehley and Criss, releasing the ‘Monster’ album last year with replacements Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer.

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Radio.com

Alejandro Pagni

Last night’s (November 3) episode of The Simpsons was one for the ages. Titled “Four Regrettings And A Funeral,” it featured one of the show’s most epic “couch gags” ever, an understated and sweet goodbye to longtime character Mrs. Krabappel, and a pretty hilarious reference to “The Hottest Band In The World.”

“Four Regrettings” saw four characters — Homer and Marge Simpson, Mr. Burns and news anchor Kent Brockman — look back on their lives and consider the questionable choices they’ve made. Mr. Burns let the love of his life slip away because he couldn’t take her advice to think about others for five minutes a day. Homer sold all of his Apple stock to buy a bowling ball. Kent Brockman didn’t follow his former co-anchor Rachel Maddow (appearing as herself) in trading local news for the big time. And Marge Simpson wonders if perhaps she is responsible for son Bart’s rebellious streak, due to — of all things — an unexplained hankering for the music and imagery of KISS during her pregnancy.

This last one was such a bizarre twist, that Radio.com reached out to Simpsons Executive Producer Al Jean to ask about its origins. While Jean didn’t come up with the idea, he felt compelled to go along with it: “As a corporal in the KISS Army, I could only obey.”

“[Director] Jim Brooks suggested that Marge was hooked on KISS music when she was pregnant, and that she worried it had made Bart what he was,” Jean said.

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La Figa

Shades of Lady Gaga  nearly two and half decades before Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta donned platform shoes and a meat dress. Watch Paul Lynde thanking his

“Little monsters”

at the close of his surreal 1976 Halloween special; it shows a throughline of queer consciousness.

The Paul Lynde Halloween Special is a mash-up of 1976′s culture clashes. Lynde makes jokes about the upcoming election while KISS, Betty White, Donnie and Marie (in an uncredited appearance), Margaret Hamilton, and other surprise guests perform sketches with the Crown Prince of Camp, Paul Lynde.

For many years, Paul Lynde and Liberace [Lee] were the two most visible gay men on television, and Lynde was always cooler than Lee, appealing to a younger generation.  He played sarcastic, practical joking Uncle Arthur on Bewitched  and was also the center square on the game show Hollywood Squares, where his snarky double entendres (and center spot on the game board) made him a favorite. Many jokes on the Hollywood Squares centered around thinly veiled references to Lynde’s sexuality, and I still wonder if my grandmother and her generation got them…

Q: You’re the world’s most popular fruit. What are you?
Lynde: Humble.

Q: What unusual thing do you do, if you have something called ‘the gift of tongues’?
Lynde: I wouldn’t tell the grand jury; why should I tell you?

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Johnny I

Joe Polo

Krazy Knights

Failblog.org

KISSasylum.com

Michael Gallucci | Ultimate Classic Rock

Antonio Marino Jr

Ace Frehley and Peter Criss played together onstage together for the first time in 13 years last night. The former Kiss bandmates were at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City to celebrate the 30th anniversary for radio and TV host Eddie Trunk’s radio show.

According to Blabbermouth, Frehley and Criss were part of an all-star jam band that was on hand to help Trunk, who also co-hosts VH1 Classic’s ‘That Metal Show,’ celebrate 30 years of his rock ‘n’ roll radio show.

Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy was the evening’s musical director. He led the band — which included members of Guns N’ Roses, Twisted Sister and Anthrax – through covers of songs by Deep Purple, Van Halen and UFO.

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I want to buy your KISS COLLECTION

CASH PAID !!!! — No collection too large or too small – Even if you have a $30,000 or larger KISS collection, yes I can pay you in CASH.

I buy all KISS and KISS solo related items spanning 1974 to 2013…I want everything you have…..magazines, newspapers, promo Items, toys, T-shirts, hats, books, concert items, picks, drumsticks, posters, concert posters, paper items, KISS Army items, foreign items, CDs, cassettes, records, picture discs, 45s, official DVDs, signed items, out of print items, non-makeup items, original lineup items, newly released items, tour books, cards, cars, stickers, road crew items, 1 of a kind items, awards, guitars, photography…..EVERYTHING.

I WILL TRAVEL to buy your KISS COLLECTION — I can travel to you anywhere in the United States…East Coast, West Coast, down South, Midwest….I will travel to buy your collection and pay you in cash on the spot.

All transactions and contacts are kept absolutely PRIVATE….No deals will be discussed with anyone….I have purchased items from collectors, former band members, people who worked for the band, and other dealers.

Please contact Ross Koondel at either 267-566-2046 or by email at
RossKoondel@yahoo.com

One of my typical purchases

Sean Michaels | The Guardian

Not even rock’n’roll’s greatest honour could persuade Gene Simmons to reform Kiss‘s original line-up. Describing his former bandmates as “a cancer”, Simmons dismissed the idea of a 40th anniversary reunion, should the band be accepted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Kiss are one of 16 nominees for this year’s hall of fame inductions, vying for a place alongside Nirvana, NWA, Chic, Deep Purple and many more. But even if they do get selected for the gala in April, don’t count on a reunion with Ace Frehley, their original lead guitarist, or Peter Criss, who first played drums.

“No,” Simmons recently told Radio.com. “When you have a cancer in your system, it’s best to cut it out as fast as you can. It used to be a part of your body [but] then it turned intocancer so you gotta cut it out.”

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